Wrapper: Nicaraguan Medio Tiempo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 7 x 50 Churchill
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $22.50
Released: July 2024
Quantities Released: 500 boxes of 10 cigars.

BACKGROUND:
From Cigar Aficionado:
“Made in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernandez, the 180th Anniversary is a collaboration between Fernandez and Rafael Nodal, vice president of product capability for Tabacalera USA (Altadis U.S.A.’s parent company). The all-Nicaraguan blend features a medio tiempo wrapper that Nodal says was grown from a hybrid seed. Medio tiempo leaves sometimes sprout on the very top of a tobacco plant, above the corona level, and are valued for their concentrated power.

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
This is a good looking schmekel. Oily as hell. There is a fine grit of toothiness that feels like baby hair. The cigar is evenly distributed, albeit a bit hard. It feels good in the hand.

Aromas are very faint. I pick up chocolate covered caramel, strong barnyard, malt, black pepper, a tad woody, wee floral notes, licorice, and fruity notes. Yep, a Nic puro.

The cold draw presents flavors of black pepper, chocolate covered caramel, espresso, malt, licorice, Moose & Squirrel, and cedar.

The draw on the cigar is exactly how I like my women…I can blow air in one ear, and it travels out the other ear immediately. No need for my PerfecDraw draw tool. (Dr. Rod sends me a telegram. “You didn’t need my gift from the gods? You can kiss your $1.37 goodbye.”.

Right off the bat, I’m in lust.
A nice peppery start that is piggybacked by notes of espresso, creaminess, malt, Coca Krispies, sweet gooey caramel, cotton candy, and figurative Shetland Pony ass.

This is my third stick. Each one was consistent. We purveyors of the unholy critique like this quality. I don’t remember an AJ blend tasting this good at the start of the fiery disrobing. The counterpoint of Sweet v. Savory is impressive.

In ’68, we took our dates to see ‘Easy Rider’ when it opened in theaters. We were groovy cool people but were not prepared for the movie’s ending. Not cool, man.

If you’re an owner of multiple humidors like me, you understand that each one provides a different level of humidity…regardless of what your hygrometers say. I keep my review cigars in three different homey boxes. The first two saw superb burn lines throughout the life of the cigar. Today’s cigar sees a minor burn issue that heals itself quickly. What would a cigar smoker be without the anxiety of humidification.

Transitions are a carousel of nuanced flavors. Smooth as silk…It is like smoking a Tijuana Xanax Latte …this always gets you ready for the donkey sex show. If you ever have the opportunity to see one of these, tell your friends you’re taking a pass. You can’t unsee it.

There are no wild and crazy flavors at play. The winning equation is balance, richness, complexity, and transitional qualities. A beautiful blend in the first half.

Listing redundant flavors is a waste of time. The list of typical Nic puro flavors: Dark chocolate, espresso, nuts, burnt oak, creaminess, black pepper, caramel, black cherries, and dried fruit are nailed into the coffin. They twist and turn some, but the cigar tastes like it’s been aged for a long time. There are hints of being a Padrón Family Reserve No. 95 Maduro or Viaje Honey & Hand Grenades.

I think that if my mother’s family had brought me into the family business, I’d have been a good gangster.

From 1956 on, I was an Elvis fan. My mom loved music. But when we were in the car and an Elvis song came on, she switched the station and snarled “He’s disgusting.” This is the time of my life in which I truly learned to both mope and whine at a professional level.

The blend is so intense that I can barely feel my gonads. I wrap a cashmere sweater around my ankles to keep the boys warm.

Every time I begin a review, I’m petrified. Will the words come out? Will I become a slug with a typewriter? One never knows…my brahs will confirm this.

This cigar is strong. Finishing it is a vision quest. I expect to come out the other end a man. It’s OK. I was tired of being a little girl.

Being very comfortable with electricity at a commonly used 110 volts, it was a shock to me to learn that England ran 220. Here in the States, getting zapped from incorrect grounding may slip your wig and give you a little bubble on your lip when it touched the microphone…but in Britland, lead singers dropped dead like flies. Every week the news reported another rock star bit the dust. We were recklessly crazy when there weren’t enough extension cords. We stripped the wires of one cord and placed it under another plug. I am a living study in stupitude.

The second half soars. An impressive sweet spot begins. New boundaries are broken. I got a boner bigger than my sweet emotions. Bigger than the piano part on Layla. Bigger than having a late dinner with Pink Floyd after a show. True dat.

This is a great blend. AJ dood good. Extremely flavorful at point of ignition. A smooth and balanced bunch of dead twirled leaves. The last two inches will either make you a man or prepare you for eunuch surgery. I bought more, so I’m good.

I recommend scoring some if you have the dough. SBC sells them in three packs so the damage to your wallet ain’t so bad. Smoke one early because you are cursed, but then let the others rest for as long as your cigar neurosis will allow.

You can purchase the H. Upmann 180th Anniversary L.E. Churchill from sponsor Small Batch Cigar (10% off with promo code KATMAN)

RATING: 96

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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

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